An official decision on the 51st annual Ski to Sea race course may not be made until 10–14 days before the event’s race date of May 26, as low snow levels continue to threaten the ski legs.
The race legs were originally slated to be finalized by the first week of April, but Mt. Baker Ski Area management informed race director Anna Rankin it wouldn’t be possible to have a firm decision that early.
“I really want it to be 14 days,” Rankin said. “My preference would be, if it looks iffy 14 days before and we don’t know which way it’s going to go, to just go with Plan B so we know what’s happening for sure. I don’t want to pivot at the last minute.”
The backup plan would replace the missing snow legs with a lower-course trail run and mountain bike leg.
The downhill run would launch the race at Heather Meadows and go straight into the standard road bike, canoe and cyclocross legs. There would then be a virtual handoff to the trail run at Lake Padden, followed by the mountain bike leg on Galbraith Mountain.
Another virtual handoff would be made to Zuanich Point Park, kicking off the kayak leg to the finish line at Marine Park.
Rankin said organizers have been notifying teams as best they can to keep alternate participants on standby if their current team is unable to compete in the backup legs.
“I get that it’s really frustrating for teams and my staff and our vendors and everyone to not know,” Rankin added. “But I think everyone realizes this one is out of our hands, much like when we had to cancel [the race] with COVID. There’s nothing that we can do about it.”
There remains an 80% chance the ski legs happen, Rankin said. It’s all dependent on spring temperatures and conditions over the next few weeks. Race bibs have been ordered for both circumstances, and the backup plan is about 75% ironed out as of Monday, April 15.
“We’re just doing everything that we can do to be as prepared as possible and get as much of our work done now,” Rankin said. “If we do have to make the decision two weeks before, that’s going to be where our entire focus is.”
The last time the ski legs were canceled was in 2015 — a year with even far less snow than this season (303 total inches of snowfall in 2015; 430 this season as of March 21). The decision to cancel was made much earlier that year.
With the snow base teetering right on the “go” and “no-go” line this year, Rankin and her team will not be afforded an easy decision.
“We’re just at that level where, if things stay like this or we don’t lose too much, it’s definitely a go. But we just can’t say,” she added.
Rankin further advised teams to continue to monitor social media and Ski to Sea newsletters for up-to-date information. This year’s race is already sold out, with 500 teams registered, for the first time since 2011.
Connor J. Benintendi is CDN’s sports editor; reach him at connorbenintendi@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
